Who cannot be enchanted by sea tales&myths: mermaids&mermen, serpents, sea nymphs&sirens, ulysses, wooden worlds, treasures&deepsea cities.

Stumbling across the story of Jurate’s Castle sums up the romance&shimmering beauty of the sea in all its magic,depth&moods:moontides, tempests, southwinds, whitehorses, rare sea-mists&fogs & starry nights.

For Jurate, the Goddess of the Baltic Sea, fell in love with a mere mortal fisherman(who was very good-looking).

Out of anger,her father Praamzis, God of the Sky,Earth&Sea,had her castle of white amber, doors of gold&windows of diamonds to be destroyed. Which is why when there is a fierce storm the sea tosses up pieces of Amber to be collected along the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Up from the depth&on the seashore, I’ve loved Pablo Neruda’s poems written whilst staying at his Casa Isla Negra. A Captain’s fantasy of loveliness as the bell tolls from a driftwood structure.

Ode to a storm:’Last night she came,

livid,night-blue,…:

the tempest with her hair of water,

eyes of cold fire-last

night shewanted

to sleep on

earth.’

night she wanted to sleep on earth.’

Pablo Neruda